Rain takes toll on cherry crops

Stone fruit farmers in Western Australia's great southern say recent rain in the south-west corner of the state has been bad news for cherry crops close to harvest.

Mount Barker cherry farmer Beverley Lynch says she has lost 10 per cent of her crop after water taken up by the trees caused the ripe fruit to split.

Ms Lynch says the rain has been good for fruit that is still maturing but she hopes the rest of the year will remain dry for the next crop.

"From now until Christmas we really don't want any rain at all. We can water the fruit up but it's had enough water now, right through til Christmas, and any rain we get will split that later fruit," she said.